Despite the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down most ETSU on-campus activities for the time being, the ongoing renovations to the D.P. Culp Student Center and construction of the James C. & Mary B. Martin Center for the Arts are to continue as planned, according to Eddie Harkleroad, executive director of construction for ETSU.
“[The contractors] are still proceeding,” Harkleroad said. “If they have anybody that may pose a risk to them or to the university, we would ask them to leave.”
Harkleroad mentioned that he was very pleased with the current progress of the contractors during phase one of the Culp project, which is expected to be completed soon.
“They do a pretty good job, especially at the Culp, working around all the people that were out there,” said Harkleroad.
While the renovations are continuing for now, Harkleroad expressed they would be cautious moving forward.
“[Postponing renovations] is quite a possibility in the future, but no word yet that it’s going to happen,” said Harkleroad.
The first phase of renovations to the Culp Center is expected to be completed by the end of the month. Upon completion of the first phase, the same group of contractors will begin an additional phase of renovations on the Advisement Resources Career Center, which is scheduled to begin in April.
Meanwhile, the construction at the Martin Center for the Arts is expected to be completed by June, followed by the moving in of equipment and furniture. The Martin Center is scheduled to be open and ready for the Fall 2020 semester, should there be no future work stoppage due to the ongoing COVID-19 virus.
